Apple Shares Shrug Off Report of Weak Demand in China for iPhones

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. was little changed on Monday as investors looked past a report its smartphone shipments plummeted in China in the final quarter of 2018, suggesting that issue, a major headwind over the past several months, is priced into the stock for now.

The stock briefly dipped as much as 0.6 percent before bouncing back, but is still underperforming the technology sector, which rose 0.3 percent. If Apple ends the day lower, it will be the first time this year it’s suffered a three-day decline.

According to research firm IDC, Apple’s smartphone shipments in China fell an estimated 20 percent in the fourth quarter, outpacing a 9.7 percent contraction in the Chinese domestic market. Demand for the iPhone was hurt by a slowing economy, higher prices, and longer replacement cycles.

Investors have long been concerned about the demand prospects for Apple’s flagship product, particularly in China, suggesting the trend found in the IDC report could already be priced into the stock. Shares of Apple are down more than 26 percent from record levels, though they’ve gained nearly 20 percent from a low in early January.

According to Bloomberg data, the iPhone accounted for more than 60 percent of Apple’s 2018 revenue, while it derived almost 20 percent of its revenue from China.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ryan Vlastelica in New York at rvlastelica1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Catherine Larkin at clarkin4@bloomberg.net, Scott Schnipper

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